The Best Rock Albums of the ’70s
The best rock albums of the ’70s encompass that exciting feel of a genre that was blooming. – Author: Cat Badra, Album cover via Harvest Capitol
The 1970s were an exciting time for rock, and the best rock albums of the ’70s encompass that exciting feel of a genre that was really blooming. Great, album-based rock ‘n’ roll abounded in the ’70s, and that decade brought some of the best classic rock albums of all time. To this day, many rock albums from the 1970s are at the top of playlists and played at parties and celebrations around the world. Audio Ink Radio is paying homage to these great rock albums from the ’70s with a tally of some of the best.
The Greatest Rock Albums of the ’70s
Led Zeppelin, “Led Zeppelin IV”
Timeless songs such as “Stairway to Heaven” and “Black Dog” were introduced to the world on Led Zeppelin’s untitled fourth album, 1971’s “Led Zeppelin IV.” Here, Zeppelin stretched their musical wings and really showed off their folk-rock influences, making this a very unique record. “Led Zeppelin IV” got instant praise from Zeppelin fans at the time, and the critics loved it, too. Over the years, it’s only grown stronger and stands up as one of the greatest rock albums of the ’70s and any decade, really.
Pink Floyd, “The Dark Side of the Moon”
Pink Floyd had their heyday in the 1970s. While they formed in the mid-1960s, the band really took off in the 1970s and churned out some of the greatest rock albums of all time. One of them was 1973’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” The album marked Pink Floyd’s eighth studio set, and it became such a landmark release that to this day, it’s one of the most popular rock records of all time. Here, David Gilmour, Roger Waters and company were at their best.
The Clash, “London Calling”
Sure, the Clash is more punk than straight-ahead rock, but it would be irresponsible to leave them off a tally of the greatest rock albums of the ’70s. “London Calling,” which arrived at the tail end of the decade in 1979, is simply iconic, from front to back. On it, the Clash served up a variety of sounds and styles, from punk rock to rockabilly to ska. This record also helped influenced the alternative rock movement, which started to take off in the 1980s and, of course, really went mainstream in the ’90s. There’s no other album in the world quite like “London Calling.”
The Rolling Stones, “Sticky Fingers”
Any Rolling Stones album from the 1970s could have fit on this list, but “Sticky Fingers” is just extra special. “Sticky Fingers” is seen as the Stones’ most raw and real rock ‘n’ roll record, showing off their real, pure rock side with little commercial influence. It’s a bopping, head-banging set of rock tunes that makes it clear why the Stones are considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, rock band of all time.
The Who, “Who’s Next”
The Who were one of the most popular bands of the 1970s. They got their start in the mid-1960s and started to gain a lot of attention towards the end of the decade, but they really accelerated in the ’70s. “Tommy” came out in 1969, and the follow-up was just as inventive and exciting: 1971’s “Who’s Next.” Songs such as “”Behind Blue Eyes” and “Love Ain’t for Keeping” are simply legendary. A close second is the Who’s 1973 release, “Quadrophenia.”
Find Audio Ink Radio’s tally of the most legendary classic rock albums of any decade, too.
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